2014 Wedding Season: What's the Buzz?

Wedding trends always make big news, but how much impact do they really have on the people planning their weddings? We wanted to find out so we undertook a massive task. We surveyed over 1,000 brides, grooms, and wedding vendors with weddings during the most popular wedding months (May – October) this year. Some of what we found may surprise you!

What’s Not Hot

The All Pink Wedding that was supposed to be the trend of 2014? Not so much. Only about 25% of the couples we surveyed were in to the idea. Almost 38% were already over it, calling it “So Last Year."

Social Media was also supposed to have a big boom this year with wedding hashtags and charging stations dominating receptions.

In reality? Only 26% of the couples we surveyed plan to have their own hashtag for their wedding. Only 3% plan on having charging stations at the reception. 67% had never heard of the idea of a charging station and 34% had never heard of the idea of developing a hashtag for your wedding.

Social media is still playing a big part in wedding planning though. Almost every couple that took our survey said they were using social media to help plan the wedding. The most popular site? Pinterest.

So what will weddings look like?

Pink is a popular color for weddings this year, but so is blue in all shades.

(Inspiration board courtesy of Wedding News Day)

Bold colors like red and yellow and the ever-popular black and white wedding are holding strong, too.

In terms of themes, Rustic Chic is not going anywhere any time soon. Although some people are expressing dismay at that news. As one bride said, “I will be so happy to never see another Mason Jar in my life.” The 1920s, Jazz Age, Downton Abbey wedding is also still popular and the Beach/Nautical wedding has never gone out of style.

Where’s the Party?What’s the Party?Almost 50% of our couples said that they’re planning on having an After Party. Interestingly, only 35% want to extend the party in the other direction by holding multiple pre-wedding events. Almost half of our respondents said they really liked the idea of holding their wedding at home, but it just wouldn’t work for them.

Mega-TrendsOur survey revealed two big over-arching trends. These trends manifest themselves differently from wedding to wedding, but show a general way of thinking about weddings that’s becoming popular.

1. Being InvolvedCouples and their guests don’t just want to be entertained, they want to be part of the entertainment. This has led to an increase in spectacles such as the bride singing to the groom (or vice versa, or in at least one case, both).

It’s also partly behind the continuing trend of entertainment such as photo booths and caricaturists becoming must-haves for many couples. These vendors don’t just entertain guests, they involve the guests in the action.

2. MulticulturalismNot only are interfaith and multi-cultural marriages becoming more common, but even those couples where both parties are from the same ethnic or religious background are becoming more interested in showcasing their heritage.

Whenever we write about trends we always like to make it clear that there are millions of weddings all across the country every year. What’s totally normal for one group might be completely unheard of for another. We like to share these trends with our readers to give you ideas, not to make you feel like you need to follow a pattern.

Looking for more detailed info from our 2014 Wedding Season Trends surveys? Check out this free white paper.

What are your favorite trends that you’re seeing in weddings right now? Share your thoughts in the comments below.